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Executive accounts of theory-of-mind development
1Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene 97403-1227, USA. moses@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Child Development
|June 19, 2001
Summary
Executive function theories are categorized into emergence and expression accounts. Meta-analytic findings support emergence accounts of theory of mind, while not fully excluding expression accounts.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Executive functions are central to higher-order cognition.
- Two primary theoretical frameworks exist: emergence and expression accounts.
Discussion:
- Meta-analytic evidence aligns with emergence theories of theory of mind.
- Expression accounts remain a possibility, though less supported by current data.
Key Insights:
- Findings support the view that theory of mind emerges from executive functions.
- The distinction between emergence and expression accounts has implications for understanding cognitive development.
Outlook:
- Further research can refine the distinction between these executive function theories.
- Investigating specific neural correlates may differentiate between emergence and expression mechanisms.
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